Bradley in DC
01-28-2008, 09:05 AM
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080128/OSH0101/801280380
Ron Paul supporters push for underdog candidate
BY CRYSTAL LINDELL
of The Northwestern
"Ron Paul for President" signs have been displayed in people's yards for months now – ranging from the size of a notebook to 8-feet-by-4-feet -- and with the state primary less than a month away, Paul's campaign seems by far the most prominent.
The presidential ambitions of the Republican congressman from Texas may not be getting much attention from the national media, but he's had a lot of grassroots support.
Internet fundraising efforts helped him raise record one-day totals of $4.2 million on Nov. 5 and $6 million on Dec. 16. The candidate did not start those Internet campaigns; instead it was individual supporters who organized them.
Locally, that support has been coming from people like Diana Nickel of Winneconne, who started a Ron Paul group in May that now has about 130 members.
"I have yet to see even a Hillary (Clinton) sticker and Ron Paul stuff is all over the place," she said.
The Wisconsin primary is Tuesday, Feb. 19, and Michelle Litjens, vice chairwoman of the Sixth District Republican Party in the state, said Paul's the only one in the party who's got local ground support at this point.
"I don't know what to say about Ron Paul," she said. "I think he's definitely representing a section that both Republicans and Democrats aren't reaching – because there are Republicans and Democrats supporting Ron Paul. He's much more of a Libertarian type."
Paul opposes the Iraq War, opposes the federal income tax and urges Americans to push for a fiscally responsible government.
Those messages have also helped Paul raise more money than any other presidential candidate in Outagamie and Waushara counties, with $4,950 and $1,000 respectively, according to CNN. He's also raised $31,555 statewide – the fourth most of the Republican candidates.
Nickel said her group plans to start door-to-door campaigning for the candidate and she thinks he has a good shot at the nomination – even though he has yet to win a primary.
"(The other candidates) are all running out of money and … I think he's got the support that will be with him and he will be in there as the other ones drop out simply because of lack of funds," she said.
U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac – who recently endorsed Mitt Romney -- said he's known Paul for years and the two have a good working relationship in Congress even though they don't always agree.
"The nice thing about Ron is he's very honest," Petri said. "He's very principled. He's very positive, but he is also very inflexible and he's sort of a fundamentalist."
He said he doesn't always agree with Paul's goal of reducing the size of government.
"You know, when (Paul) was first elected, in fact, he didn't even think the government had much of a role in defense – he thought it should be left up to the individuals to band together — but he's from Texas and he's kind of come around on that," Petri said.
Mike McDonald of Oshkosh has an 8-foot-by-4-foot Ron Paul for President sign in his yard. He said he's frustrated that Paul hasn't gotten more attention from the national media.
"It's kind of sickening," he said. "I think (Paul) kind of expected that going in, but he's got a lot more support than what they give him credit for, but unfortunately it's the media that has so much power in choosing the candidates for us."
Petri said he understands where Paul's supporters are coming from, but he doesn't think there are enough of them for Paul to win the nomination.
"I think he's gotten a lot of people involved in the political process who were pretty turned off by it and he has, probably in most states, a good 10 percent of the Republican vote and he got 15 (percent) in Nevada," Petri said. "But I don't see it as broad for winning over Democrats."
Teno Groppi of Oshkosh has been holding Paul signs up on an overpass over U.S. Highway 41, and has been a Paul supporter for 15 years.
"I like somebody that's for real," he said. "Even if I disagree with him on some things, I'd rather have somebody who you know where he stands."
Ron Paul supporters push for underdog candidate
BY CRYSTAL LINDELL
of The Northwestern
"Ron Paul for President" signs have been displayed in people's yards for months now – ranging from the size of a notebook to 8-feet-by-4-feet -- and with the state primary less than a month away, Paul's campaign seems by far the most prominent.
The presidential ambitions of the Republican congressman from Texas may not be getting much attention from the national media, but he's had a lot of grassroots support.
Internet fundraising efforts helped him raise record one-day totals of $4.2 million on Nov. 5 and $6 million on Dec. 16. The candidate did not start those Internet campaigns; instead it was individual supporters who organized them.
Locally, that support has been coming from people like Diana Nickel of Winneconne, who started a Ron Paul group in May that now has about 130 members.
"I have yet to see even a Hillary (Clinton) sticker and Ron Paul stuff is all over the place," she said.
The Wisconsin primary is Tuesday, Feb. 19, and Michelle Litjens, vice chairwoman of the Sixth District Republican Party in the state, said Paul's the only one in the party who's got local ground support at this point.
"I don't know what to say about Ron Paul," she said. "I think he's definitely representing a section that both Republicans and Democrats aren't reaching – because there are Republicans and Democrats supporting Ron Paul. He's much more of a Libertarian type."
Paul opposes the Iraq War, opposes the federal income tax and urges Americans to push for a fiscally responsible government.
Those messages have also helped Paul raise more money than any other presidential candidate in Outagamie and Waushara counties, with $4,950 and $1,000 respectively, according to CNN. He's also raised $31,555 statewide – the fourth most of the Republican candidates.
Nickel said her group plans to start door-to-door campaigning for the candidate and she thinks he has a good shot at the nomination – even though he has yet to win a primary.
"(The other candidates) are all running out of money and … I think he's got the support that will be with him and he will be in there as the other ones drop out simply because of lack of funds," she said.
U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, R-Fond du Lac – who recently endorsed Mitt Romney -- said he's known Paul for years and the two have a good working relationship in Congress even though they don't always agree.
"The nice thing about Ron is he's very honest," Petri said. "He's very principled. He's very positive, but he is also very inflexible and he's sort of a fundamentalist."
He said he doesn't always agree with Paul's goal of reducing the size of government.
"You know, when (Paul) was first elected, in fact, he didn't even think the government had much of a role in defense – he thought it should be left up to the individuals to band together — but he's from Texas and he's kind of come around on that," Petri said.
Mike McDonald of Oshkosh has an 8-foot-by-4-foot Ron Paul for President sign in his yard. He said he's frustrated that Paul hasn't gotten more attention from the national media.
"It's kind of sickening," he said. "I think (Paul) kind of expected that going in, but he's got a lot more support than what they give him credit for, but unfortunately it's the media that has so much power in choosing the candidates for us."
Petri said he understands where Paul's supporters are coming from, but he doesn't think there are enough of them for Paul to win the nomination.
"I think he's gotten a lot of people involved in the political process who were pretty turned off by it and he has, probably in most states, a good 10 percent of the Republican vote and he got 15 (percent) in Nevada," Petri said. "But I don't see it as broad for winning over Democrats."
Teno Groppi of Oshkosh has been holding Paul signs up on an overpass over U.S. Highway 41, and has been a Paul supporter for 15 years.
"I like somebody that's for real," he said. "Even if I disagree with him on some things, I'd rather have somebody who you know where he stands."